Updated 16 October 2026 · Edited by the Benchmark Buyer team · How we review
We do the homework you'd do before buying, so you don't have to. Like any careful buyer, we read the independent lab tests, the expert reviews and what users say, then sum up where they agree and where they don't. We don't run our own tests. This guide draws on 2 independent lab tests of Android security apps, from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, and 6 expert reviews updated in 2026.
The short answer
Norton 360 is the consensus pick. It is the only app all six expert sources include, and it earned top marks at AV-TEST. Bitdefender Mobile Security is a very close second: five of the six experts rank it first, and it had the best result in both lab tests. If you want something free, Avast scores best.
Stars show the consensus score out of 10, turned into a 5-star scale and rounded to the nearest half star; the exact score is in each product's section. Lab results sum up 2 independent Android lab tests. Popularity (●●●● very high to ●○○○ lower) is based on how many people have rated each app on Google Play in the UK: very high (5m+ ratings), high (1m+), medium (500k+) or lower. It shows how widely used an app is, not how good it is, so it doesn't affect the score.
1. Norton 360: the app every expert includes
★★★★★Consensus score: 9.8
Norton is the only app that appears in all six expert lists. Security.org ranks it first; TechRadar puts it second; Tom's Guide, Techlicious and Cybernews third; All About Cookies fourth. In the labs it scored 18/18 at AV-TEST, catching 100% of malware in both of its detection tests, and blocked 99.6% of 3,156 malware samples in AV-Comparatives' review with 2 false alarms out of 500 clean apps.
"Norton Mobile Security makes the internet a safer place to be" (TechRadar)
TechRadar names it best for privacy, and Tom's Guide calls it best for features.
Where opinions differ: most experts rank Bitdefender above it, and Bitdefender did slightly better at AV-Comparatives (100% against 99.6%). Norton's score is higher only because every list includes it. Tom's Guide adds: "However, its anti-theft features could be better, and the amount of ads on its free version is off-putting." (Tom's Guide). AV-Comparatives also noted that the Norton app it tested doesn't support anti-theft or App Lock.
Who it suits: people who want one app with protection and privacy extras from a single brand.
2. Bitdefender Mobile Security: the experts' favourite
★★★★★Consensus score: 9.7
Bitdefender is ranked first by five of the six expert sources: TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Techlicious, All About Cookies and Cybernews. It also had the best lab results here: 18/18 at AV-TEST with 100% detection, and the only 100% protection rate in AV-Comparatives' review, with 2 false alarms.
"It's the best mix of protection, price, and performance for keeping your phone yours." (Tom's Guide)
Techlicious agrees: "Bitdefender Mobile Security is my top pick for Android because it does the most while using the least resources." (Techlicious)
Where opinions differ: Security.org leaves it out of its list, which is the only reason it sits just behind Norton. AV-Comparatives reported that Bitdefender's anti-theft commands at first failed on its test phone; the problem was fixed promptly after Bitdefender was told.
Who it suits: people who want the strongest protection with the least drain on their phone.
Avast's free app matched Norton in both labs: 18/18 at AV-TEST with 100% detection, and 99.6% protection with 2 false alarms at AV-Comparatives. TechRadar and Tom's Guide both name it the best free Android antivirus, and Security.org calls it its best free pick.
"Avast Mobile Security is a fantastic free option that covers all of the basics" (TechRadar)
Where opinions differ: Cybernews ranks it tenth of ten, and Techlicious and All About Cookies leave it out.
Who it suits: anyone who wants solid protection without paying. AV-Comparatives notes the free version is ad-supported and doesn't include anti-theft or App Lock.
4. AVG: a free alternative with the same lab marks
★★★★½Consensus score: 8.8
AVG's lab results match Avast's, which comes from the same company: 18/18 at AV-TEST with 100% detection, and 99.6% protection with 2 false alarms at AV-Comparatives. All About Cookies names it the best free app, TechRadar ranks it fourth (best for removing malware) and Cybernews fourth. Fewer experts include it than Avast, which is why it ranks just below despite the same score.
"If you simply want a free option, we recommend AVG." (All About Cookies)
Who it suits: people who want a free app with top lab marks. Like Avast, the free version tested is ad-supported, with no anti-theft or App Lock.
Android's built-in protection is free and already on most phones. It scored 18/18 at AV-TEST, with detection rates of 99.8% and 99.9%, just under the industry average of 99.9%. At AV-Comparatives it blocked 98.9% of malware with 8 false alarms and narrowly missed certification, which needs at least 99%. None of our six expert sources ranks it; Techlicious treats it as a baseline rather than a pick.
Not ranked, and why
Kaspersky did well in both labs (18/18 at AV-TEST; 99.9% protection and 1 false alarm at AV-Comparatives), but none of our expert sources ranks it. AV-Comparatives notes the app it tested isn't on Google Play and has to be downloaded from elsewhere.
TotalAV and McAfee scored 18/18 at AV-TEST but weren't in AV-Comparatives' review. We need at least two lab tests to rank an app. McAfee is also in only two expert lists.
ESET is ranked by Tom's Guide and Cybernews, but wasn't in either lab's latest Android test.
Avira and F-Secure scored 18/18 at AV-TEST but weren't in AV-Comparatives' review, and fewer than three experts list them.
G Data was in both tests but had the lowest AV-TEST score (16.5/18), and no expert source ranks it.
Aura, Surfshark, Trend Micro, Guardio and Malwarebytes appear in some expert lists but have no result in the lab tests we use.
How we score
We don't run our own tests. Each app's consensus score combines three things:
Independent lab results (50%): each lab test is turned into a score out of 100, then averaged. Malware that gets through costs more than false alarms, because a missed threat can do real damage.
AV-TEST Android (July 2026): protection, performance and usability points out of 18.
AV-Comparatives Mobile Security Review (tested May 2026, published June 2026, 3,156 malware samples and 500 clean apps): minus 1 point per 0.1% of malware missed, minus 0.5 per false alarm.
Expert rankings (35%): each app's position in 6 expert "best Android antivirus" lists, from TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Techlicious, Security.org, All About Cookies and Cybernews.
Breadth of agreement (15%): how many of those 6 lists include the app.
To be ranked, an app needs results from both lab tests and a place in at least three expert lists. We use each lab's latest Android test and leave out evidence older than 18 months; for example, Tech Advisor's and Android Authority's Android antivirus guides were last updated in early 2025, so they aren't counted. Affiliate commission plays no part in the score.
Evidence last checked: 16 October 2026. Full details on how we review.